First-Year Curriculum

From your first day at KU Law, you’ll be engaged in both broad considerations of the role of law in society and specific training in legal research, writing and advocacy.

All first-year students take Lawyering Skills, a course that focuses on the skills and values of the legal profession. Faculty members with extensive experience meet with students in a traditional classroom setting and in small groups. By the end of your first year, you will have prepared a brief and argued a summary judgment motion.

You’ll also take one of your other required first-year courses in a small section of about 20 students. These classes provide an informal learning atmosphere and encourage in-depth discussions and critical analysis.

First-year courses include:

This course will examine all phases of the litigation process in civil actions. Specific subjects covered may include: pleadings; discovery; disposition of cases without trial; the right to jury trial; post-trial motions; appeals; the bases for jurisdiction over persons and property; notice; venue; subject matter jurisdiction; choice of federal or state law in diversity cases; joinder of claims and parties; and preclusive effects of judgments. Required course. LEC.

An introduction to the law of the United States Constitution, including the historical context and evolution of constitutional principles, methods of constitutional interpretation and analysis, and basic doctrine concerning the structure of government and the protection of individual rights. Doctrinal coverage includes separation of powers, federalism, equal protection, due process, and freedom of religion. Required course. LEC.

An introduction to contract law, including topics such as offer and acceptance, consideration, contracts enforceable without consideration, defenses to enforcement of contracts, terms of contracts and their interpretation, performance and breach of contracts, remedies for breach, third-party beneficiaries, and assignments. Required course. LEC.

This course introduces students to legal systems and the skills of lawyers. It includes instruction and discussion on legal traditions, legal institutions and legal methods. It focuses on developing students' skills in legal reasoning, writing and research. Students will complete numerous research and writing assignments, culminating in an open memorandum. Required course. LEC.

In this course, students build on the research and writing skills they developed in the first semester and practice additional skills such as client interviewing, negotiation and mediation. Students learn about the expectations and demands of lawyers and the legal profession through instruction on bar admission, professionalism, and ethical advocacy, and by working on assignments in a simulated lawsuit. Student work culminates in an advocacy brief and subsequent oral argument. Required course. LEC.

An introduction to personal property law and to real property law, which includes adverse possession, estates in land, cotenancies, landlord-tenant law, easements, and real covenants, and which may include other private and public land use controls, eminent domain, and conveyancing. Required course. LEC.